


I Had To Know

by LadyWinterlight



Series: A World of Soulmates [5]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. References, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Episode Tag, F/M, Mind Control Aftermath & Recovery, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-06
Updated: 2016-06-06
Packaged: 2018-07-12 16:40:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7113784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyWinterlight/pseuds/LadyWinterlight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Bucky had gone into cryo without ever meeting his soulmate?</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Had To Know

**Author's Note:**

> This story is set approximately a year after the end of S3 of Agents of SHIELD. This ignores the S4 teaser scenes entirely; in part, because I started writing it as a Civil War pick-me-up, and we didn’t yet know how S3 would end. Now that I do, I have incorporated parts of that as well.
> 
> Essentially, the theory is that after CW, the Avengers on the run team up with the Secret Warriors to continue making a difference in the world. After all, they wouldn’t sign the Accords because they felt the need to get involved as they chose… And that leads into this.

 

Wakanda was a very strange country. When Daisy’s flight landed in the capital city, it was unlike any city she had ever been in before. The modern and the wild blended together, with the city fitted into and around the landscape so that at times she had the impression that it had grown rather than been built.

When she arrived at the palace, she was shown to an inner office area right away. Daisy smiled her thanks to the secretary who admitted her; she was expected, so getting in had been simple - moreso than she thought it would be, even. She stopped herself from fidgeting with the jacket of her suit as she approached the man behind the desk. He studied her as she bowed politely and nodded in return when she met his eyes.

“Please, have a seat. How may I help you, Miss Johnson? I was rather surprised to get a call from the Captain so unexpectedly.”

She sat in one of the chairs facing the desk and folded her hands in her lap. “I appreciate you seeing me on such short notice, King T’Challa. I would like to pay a visit to your medical center.” He raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised at such a request. “Steve believes that you have my soulmate in cryogenic suspension,” she added in a softer tone.

T’Challa’s expression turned from skeptical to sympathetic. “I take it you have not met previously?” 

“No, sir,” she answered. “And if Steve is right… well, I had to come and find out. If it’s even possible.”

“Come,” he said, rising to his feet. “We will consult with the physician.”

“Thank you, your majesty.”

He shook his head, smiling. “None of that. I appreciate the courtesy, but you are the guest of a friend. You may call me T’Challa.”

“Then I’m Daisy, please. I’ve never really been one for titles, myself.”

“Of course. This way.” He escorted her to the medical area and introduced her to the doctor in charge of monitoring Barnes.

After some discussion, it was decided that it was possible to wake him. “We’ll have to keep him out of cryo for two, perhaps three days. Give his system a chance to normalize before it’s safe to put him under again.”

“He may choose not to go back…” T’Challa suggested.

“It’s his decision,” Daisy replied with a shrug. “I will respect his choice, either way.”

The physician nodded. “Give me an hour, then. We’ll make preparations.”

“I will have my staff prepare you a room while we wait. You are welcome to remain as a guest for as long as it takes.”

“That’s very kind of you. Thank you, I appreciate it.”

An hour later, after settling into her room and unpacking the couple changes of clothes she’d brought along, Daisy went back to the medical area. She followed the doctor to an out of the way treatment room and stood back, watching quietly as they completed the process of waking the occupant of the cryo capsule.

Bucky seemed confused at first, though he waited patiently as the doctor checked his vitals and confirmed his coherency. He was taken completely by surprise when the doctor stepped away and a petite woman moved closer instead. He had expected Steve, or perhaps Natalia.

“Hi,” Daisy said as she approached slowly. “I’m so sorry to have woken you. I just… I had to know.”

Bucky stared at her for a moment, shocked completely speechless. Daisy all but held her breath, waiting. She hardly dared hope, it seemed like such a long shot. Steve had seen the words on her leg when an accident had revealed the mark, and he swore he recognized the handwriting. So she had flown to Wakanda, taking a chance that he was right.

“I never imagined you’d be so beautiful,” Bucky finally said, and Daisy smiled in sheer relief, the expression making her light up.

“I almost hadn’t dared to hope,” she breathed, moving closer. 

“I’m guessing you know who I am. What’s your name, doll?”

“Daisy Johnson.” She smiled again. “Steve sends his regards; he misses you a lot.”

“How long…?”

“Over a year since the Accords incidents.” She smiled sympathetically. “It must be so hard for you…”

He shrugged. “I’m not sure it’s any easier on you. An infamous assassin for a soulmate, one who can’t even trust his own mind if someone triggers the programming.”

“Hey, I understand,” she offered soothingly.

“How can you?”

She looked at him steadily, her eyes sad but sympathetic. “Because I’ve been there. Some time ago I had a parasite in my mind, controlling me… making me want to cooperate, to please the Hive mind. Using my skills and my gifts against my friends, my team. It didn’t stop me from caring about them, but… with them working against us, I became willing to do things to them that I would never have done otherwise.” She sighed softly. “And even worse, the way it affected my brain made it like an addiction. My friends worked so hard to free me, and I would’ve willingly gone back if it had been possible…”

He tentatively caressed her cheek, making her smile and bringing her attention away from her thoughts. “I guess we’re not so different, you and me,” Bucky agreed quietly.

Daisy nodded. “I guess not; I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to burden you with my issues. Would you like to go somewhere more comfortable, talk for a while?”

“I think I’d like that. But…” He looked uncertain.

“The doctors said if we revived you so I could find out that you really are my soulmate, we’d have to keep you awake for a couple of days. Your body needs time to normalize before they can put you back under.” She offered him a small smile. “I promise, whatever decision you make, I’ll respect it.”

“I… alright.”

Daisy took his hand and led him out of the medical area and back to her guest suite. She had a sitting area and a bedroom with an en suite bath, so they could be comfortable while they talked.

They stayed away from the touchy subjects at first, talking about their respective childhoods and how growing up in an orphanage had a number of similarities to living through the Depression. Cheap, preserved foods. Lots of people living in a fairly small place. Wearing clothes that didn’t fit properly, because they were warmer than not enough clothes. 

Bucky also talked about joining the Army when the war broke out. Some of the good times the Howlies had, when time allowed. She admitted to being a quiet fan of the Howling Commandos and knowing probably more of their history than he did. She told him a few stories about the Howlies and Peggy, after the war ended.

She also gave him the non-HYDRA background on the formation of SHIELD, and a bit about how she became an agent. Nothing classified, just some of the little, personal stories.

They were interrupted by the arrival of dinner. “Orders were sent to the kitchen to bring up something to eat,” the woman told them with a small smile. “Someone will come back in a few hours for the dishes. And congratulations on finding your soulmates; it’s a rare enough occurrence these days.”

Bucky blinked and Daisy just smiled and thanked her. She shook her head when they were alone again. “Place like this is probably just as bad as the base. Gossip flies a mile a minute, especially when it’s something happy like soulmates meeting.”

They continued talking through dinner and well into the night. They moved over to the couch, Daisy resting her head comfortably on Bucky’s shoulder, his arm wrapped lightly around her, while they traded stories.

They didn’t intend to fall asleep there, but that’s what happened.

 

The next morning, they took turns getting cleaned up and dressed in the bedroom. Someone had apparently stopped by overnight with clean clothes for Bucky; it was nice that no one seemed to be making an issue out of them suddenly staying together.

They ventured out for a walk after breakfast. Wakanda was a beautiful, wild country, and Daisy was determined that they should enjoy what little time they’d have together. They were in the capital, the growth still encroaching on the city and many of the yards full of wild foliage, and it was definitely a different city experience for Daisy. 

They paused abruptly as a couple of kids - a boy and a girl - came dashing out of the yard they were passing. The boy was chasing the girl, who deftly dodged around Daisy and tried to keep the pair between her and the boy.

“Lila!” the boy grumped as he paused, clearly trying not to involve the strangers in… whatever they were doing.

Lila grinned, safe behind the pair for the moment.

“You two know better than to involve strangers in your games,” another voice came from inside the yard. A pretty, dark haired woman with a pair of gardening gloves and a clipper in her hands emerged from behind a tree.

“Awww,” Lila pouted. 

“None of that,” the woman admonished. “Apologize, please.”

“I’m sorry,” the kids chorused obediently.

“Not a problem,” Daisy replied with a small smile. “No harm done.” Bucky nodded and smiled a bit.

The kids dashed away but the woman came out with a small smile. “Sorry about that. You know how kids can be.”

“It’s alright,” Bucky repeated with a shrug.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you around before. In for a visit?” she asked curiously.

“Everything alright, Laura?” Another voice came from inside the yard, and Bucky blinked as he recognized it.

“Barton?” he asked. Daisy blinked as the man came into view and she recognized Hawkeye.

“Oh! This is where you’ve been?” she asked.

Clint looked at her hard for a moment. “Do I know you? Oh, Barnes. I didn’t think they’d woken you up.”

“Circumstances,” Bucky said with a shrug. “Not sure I wanna talk about it out here.”

Clint nodded his acceptance and his eyes met Daisy’s dark, amused gaze.

Daisy shook her head with a small smile. “No, we’ve never met in person. But Steve and Wanda have been working with me on and off for most of the past year.”

Clint relaxed and smiled at her. “You’re SHIELD, then?”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

“Would you like to come inside?” Laura asked. “Have something cool to drink? It’s going to get really hot out in a short time.”

“I don’t mind the heat, but sure,” Daisy said, glancing at Bucky who nodded. “I’m not against possible new friends,” she added with a cheeky grin.

Laura laughed. “Come on, then.” She led the way inside, ushering everyone into the kitchen. She set out a pitcher of iced tea and glasses. “Though there are clearly connections here, maybe we should still do brief introductions? I’m Laura Barton, and my husband is Clint. You met Lila and Cooper outside. Nathaniel is napping currently.”

“Pleased to meet you, ma’am,” Bucky spoke up. “I’ve met your husband previously, but only briefly. I’m James Barnes, though most of my friends called me Bucky.”

“I’m Daisy Johnson, head of a covert operations unit within the new SHIELD.”

“You look awfully young to be a team leader, Daisy,” Clint commented.

She smiled a bit. “Perhaps I am, but circumstances were unique. I was officially made an agent the day HYDRA came out of the shadows, and my loyalty has always been to my team. When a lot of people left, I stayed with my team, so from the director’s point of view, I’m safe.”

“That… actually makes a lot of sense,” Clint said thoughtfully. “What brings you to Wakanda?”

“Him, actually,” Daisy tilted her head towards Bucky, who took her hand lightly in his. “You know Steve and some of the others work with us from time to time?”

“Sure,” Laura agreed. “Steve couldn’t stand not doing anything when the world still has so many problems, so he went to find a way to help.”

“Nat put him in touch with what we’d heard was a new SHIELD,” Clint added.

“And since my team operates entirely covertly as much as possible, it was a good fit. Anyway, a week or so ago he saw my soulmark and swore he recognized the handwriting.” Daisy shrugged lightly. “I wasn’t entirely convinced, but I couldn’t ignore it either. So I came here and took a chance.”

“And Steve was right,” Bucky added, perhaps unnecessarily.

Laura beamed. “I’m so happy for you. Congratulations!”

“What does this mean for you two?” Clint asked, his expression more serious. “I know you had good reasons to choose cryo initially…”

Bucky frowned and shook his head. “I… I have been thinking about it. Those reasons are still concerns. Anyone who finds the book Zemo had could trigger me the same way, and I’m unwilling to risk more lives on the chance…”

Daisy was puzzled by the reference to a book, but Clint just nodded so she decided to ask later.

“You don’t think that having a team would be sufficient to keep you in check?” Laura asked curiously.

Bucky hesitated, but shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe. Would you take that risk, knowing that a single person with the right words could turn you into a mindless weapon?”

Laura paused, blinking. “I… I don’t know. Of course, that’s not a position I’ve ever been in. If you have, then I would have to defer to your experience with the situation.”

“Thank you,” Bucky said lowly with a small smile. “It wasn’t an easy choice then, and now it will be even harder. But… I think I might have to anyway.”

Daisy frowned, but then shook her head. “I promised I would respect your decision, and I will,” she said quietly. “I don’t agree; I think my team and I could keep anyone who might try to control you at enough distance that they couldn’t succeed. But it is your call.”

“Tell me more about your team and what you do, please?” Bucky asked with a glance at Clint and Laura; he didn’t want to argue with her, but he couldn’t help but feel he was a far greater risk than he could be a help.

She hesitated for a minute, studying the three people sitting at the kitchen table. “Alright, I’ll trust you; but please, keep this to yourselves. I really shouldn’t be talking about it at all…”

“Of course,” Clint agreed easily.

So she told them about the Inhumans, a bit of their history as a people - not including her own transformation, because that was way more than she was willing to share - and how a batch of contaminated fish oil began causing others to change without them knowing what was going on. How several of them had joined SHIELD in both finding others, trying to help them learn to understand and control their powers, as well as keeping powered bad guys in check as much as they could. She told them about her powers, Joey’s, Alisha’s and their newer teammates. Without names attached, of course, but still enough. Mentioned a few others from the Inhumans’ history as not currently around but that had been seen in the past.

“Wow,” Laura said when Daisy paused. “That’s pretty impressive. And I can tell you really care about them all; you take their safety and their happiness very seriously.”

“I have to. They’ve all made the choice to work with me, to embrace the idea that having the power to make a difference means using it for the benefit of the rest of the world.” She smiled with a hint of pride in her eyes, though there were shadows there too. “So it’s my responsibility to make sure that they stay safe and are able to have the kind of life they want when they’re not working.” Unlike how she’d failed Lincoln, but now was not the time to go there.

“And who takes care of you?” Laura asked softly.

“We’re a team,” Daisy responded readily. “We look after each other.”

Even Bucky frowned at her response, which seemed more evasive than the question deserved. But he let it go; she reminded him of Steve in that way, like she spent most of her energy worrying about other people and only thinking of herself if she had time.

Laura opened her mouth to say something more, but closed it when she caught sight of Clint shaking his head. Perhaps he’d picked up on something she hadn’t. So she shrugged and changed the subject, “That’s good, then. Would you like to stay for lunch?”

“We wouldn’t want to impose,” Bucky began, but Laura smiled.

“Not at all. We’ve settled in here pretty well, but our friends don’t get to visit as often as we’d like. We’d enjoy the company,” she said, her expression hopeful.

Bucky glanced at Daisy, who nodded with a small smile. “Alright, then we’ll stay.”

“Wonderful,” Laura enthused.

\-----

They wound up spending the entire afternoon with Clint and Laura. Bucky appreciated the opportunity to just listen for a while; he wasn’t used to doing so much talking and there were some memories he just didn’t want to think about.

He was appreciative of the fact that Clint and Daisy started trading stories of growing up in orphanages and foster homes; it gave him more insight into both of them, especially since he wouldn’t have thought to ask the kind of questions Clint did. Laura seemed familiar enough with her husband’s history to ask some astute questions as well, and Bucky marveled at how well-adjusted they both seemed. He didn’t think he’d be half so calm, talking about basically raising themselves with foster families ranging from well-meaning but ignorant, through neglectful and into abusive.

But they made it seem normal. Perhaps for them it was.

Daisy and Bucky returned to the palace just in time to be invited to a private dinner with the King. Daisy accepted graciously for them; they were guests, after all, and it would be rude to refuse after he’d offered them his hospitality.

“Ahh, wonderful,” T’Challa said with a smile as they arrived in the small, private dining room. “Please, sit down,” he invited.

“Thank you for inviting us,” Daisy responded politely as Bucky held her chair to seat her. He sat beside her, the pair of them across from the King.

“It seemed a good time,” he replied readily. “I did not wish to interrupt you yesterday, but thought that since you have been out and about today…”

“We understand,” Bucky said, good manners making themselves known despite his still slightly-rough appearance. “You do have a lovely city.”

“Thank you. It is my responsibility and my honor to safeguard my home and people,” T’Challa answered. 

They traded small talk over dinner. T’Challa was friendly, easy to talk to, and clearly held a deep love for his home and its people. Bucky had a similar view of his home, and the two compared their experiences of growing up in vastly different cities. Daisy was able to give a more modern perspective as well, having grown up in the same general area as Bucky - though Brooklyn was a nicer area, both in the past and currently, than Hell’s Kitchen.

Of course, she then had to explain the nickname for the troubled district of the city.

After they finished eating, T’Challa broached the subject they’d all been avoiding. “I’m sorry to have to ask this… but I do need to know. Are you planning to return to cryogenic suspension, Bucky? I need to let the doctors know, so they can be prepared, if that is your desire.”

Bucky sighed and Daisy looked down at her hands. She wouldn’t argue his decision, but he knew she didn’t like it. “Yes, I believe I have to,” he answered. “The risks haven’t changed, and I have no desire to become someone else’s weapon again.”

“I see,” T’Challa replied. “It is your decision to make, of course. Though I’ll admit, I had hoped…”

Daisy smiled sadly. “It’s alright. I understand it. Though I know the basics of what happened, I have no real idea of what he’s been through. So all I can do is accept that he’s making the best choice under the circumstances.”

“I want to make sure she’s kept in the loop, though,” Bucky said in a low voice. “I know there are people looking for ways to undo the HYDRA programming. If they’re successful at some point in the future, I’d like her told as well as Steve.”

T’Challa looked surprised that he even felt the need to say so. “Of course. We would not leave your soulmate uninformed of any developments regarding your health and possible return.” He shifted his gaze to Daisy. “And of course you are welcome to visit whenever you wish, Daisy. I’m afraid it’s unlikely to be safe to continue waking him periodically, but…”

She smiled a little. “No, it’s alright. I understand. It would be harder that way anyway. But thank you; I will keep it in mind.”

T’Challa nodded. “Good. I will let you two enjoy your evening; I’ll send word to the medical center in the morning to prepare. Perhaps in the evening? That would give you another full day…”

“That would be great. Thank you,” Daisy replied.

“Very well, then. Have a good night,” T’Challa wished them. He smiled again, but there was sympathy in his eyes when he looked at Daisy.

Daisy was quiet as they returned to their guest room. Bucky followed along silently, giving her whatever time she might need to think. He hesitated at the door, but followed her into the sitting room when she glanced at him in question. They settled comfortably on the couch, still quiet.

“I’m sorry,” she said after a few minutes. “I’m not handling this as well as I’d hoped.”

Bucky cracked a small smile at that. “You’re doing fine, doll. Better than I expected, anyway.”

She smiled a bit back, shifting to lean against his side. “It’s going to be hard.”

“For both of us, but I’m not willing to risk your life on a ‘maybe,’ Daisy.”

She just shrugged. “Even if I am?”

“Yes,” he admitted, his voice low and husky with emotion. He tugged her into his lap so he could hold her and still see her eyes; he could spend forever lost in her topaz depths, hints of gold sparking occasionally when her emotions changed. “Because if I hurt you or, God forbid, even killed you… I would never be able to forgive myself.”

She nodded, accepting that. “Do you think…” she began, but then she stopped, hesitating.

“What do you want, doll?” he asked gently, holding her closer.

She bit her lip, but her eyes flashed at him in her determination. “I… I want to bond. If today is all we ever have, it will be enough. We’ll make it enough.”

“Are you sure?”

She nodded. “It’s not just for me. Even if we never meet again, when you wake up I want you to know that if only for a short time you had someone who cared for you. Not despite what you became, but because of who you are.”

Bucky smiled. “Just for that, I could love you, Daisy,” he said softly.

“They say it’s easy to fall in love with your soulmate. I know we barely know each other, though,” she said. “I’m not asking you to love me, at least not right now. Maybe someday, if we’re lucky. If we’re not… I want us to have felt this connection, at least once in our lives.”

“Then maybe we should move somewhere more comfortable,” he suggested softly. She smiled and slid off his lap readily. She took his hand and led him into the bedroom that neither had actually used for more than a private space to change clothes.

They paused by the bed, Daisy stepping in close and wrapping her arms around him. With a small smile he bent down and captured her lips. Their first real kiss was soft, exploratory. Neither pushing the other into anything just yet.

The second was deeper, sweeter, and Bucky pulled Daisy’s body tightly against his own as they quickly lost themselves in it. Daisy broke away, grinning, and pushed him back to sit on the bed. Then she straddled his lap, her knees on either side of his hips as she came in for a third kiss. 

She was breathing hard when he let her up for air, both of their bodies tingling pleasantly; they both realized at about the same time that their soulmarks were aligned, only their clothing preventing direct contact. 

Velvet-dark eyes met twilight blue as they caught their breath; neither asked again if the other was sure, if they really both wanted this. Daisy pulled her shirt off over her head and Bucky’s hand slid slowly up her side, light fingertips tracing her skin. She moaned softly and shifted just enough to tug his shirt off as well. 

They started off slow, gentle hands exploring exposed skin. Bucky pulled Daisy close, trailing his lips over her collarbone. She took a moment to undo the catch on her bra, and when he went to slide a strap down her shoulder he enjoyed seeing how the cup fell away to reveal her smooth, lightly golden skin. 

He followed his fingers with his lips and she arched into him as his lips caressed her breast, moaning softly. Her slim but strong fingers tangled into his hair while her other hand explored his shoulder and across his back. She mapped his skin by feel, noting muscles and old scars; she made no issue over the cap covering the remnants of his metal arm, just accepted it as part of him. When he looked up, startled, her expression was softer than he expected.

“We all have our scars,” she told him gently when his eyes asked the question he didn’t speak aloud. She shifted back on his lap, letting him more clearly see the scars on her belly. Bucky sucked in a breath between his teeth; he didn’t think anyone could survive gunshots to the gut like hers. But, then, he’d survived a lot of things he shouldn’t have, so who was he to question?

Curling his arm under her bottom, he lifted her up onto her knees on the bed. He bent his head to trace his lips over her scars reverently, and she moaned again. “Gonna wanna hear about these at some point,” he murmured against her skin. “But you’re here with me, so I ain’t gonna fret too much.”

“Good,” she answered softly, clinging to his shoulders for balance as he continued to trail kisses over her belly. “You accept mine, I’ll accept yours, and we can deal with the rest later.”

“Deal,” he agreed, his voice low and husky with desire.

Daisy tried to settle back onto his lap, the better to be able to resume her exploration of his strong torso; she quickly discovered that his one arm was more than strong enough to hold her in place where he wanted her. She moaned again as the thought combined with the feel of his lips and flooded her with heat. 

He finally let her go so they could finish getting undressed. Fortunately, her skirt had an elastic waist and slid off easily. Her fingers deftly dealt with his button before he could even consider fumbling with it. She simply didn’t make an issue of it, helping without comment. She grinned teasingly as she slowly slid the last of his clothes down his legs, her hands stroking over strong calves and thighs on her way back up. 

Bucky groaned softly. “Daisy,” he moaned, his tone both hopeful and longing at the same time.

“I’m right here,” she answered, her voice a husky murmur. Rather than spending more time teasing him, she moved back over his lap. There would be time for teasing later, when they were more secure together.

She hoped once they bonded, he would relax a bit. That the bond would help reassure him this was real. And her, too, if she were being completely honest. She needed this.

She leaned in to kiss him again, tongues twining in a slow dance. He kissed back, exploring her gently. His hard cock pressed against her belly and he moaned into her kisses; deftly, he slid his hand between her thighs, stroking gently over her soft folds and suddenly it was her turn to moan. He swallowed her soft cries as he stroked her firmly, feeling her skin grow slick with desire.

Finally, she tore her mouth away from his. “Enough,” she gasped, her hand wrapping around his wrist. “Please, Bucky, I need you. Now.”

“Not feeling patient, doll?” he asked with a grin. But despite his words, he let her pull his hand away. He held her hip as she positioned herself; watched in awe as her head tipped back, an expression of pure pleasure on her face as she took him into her body. He held her tightly, keeping her from moving for a long moment as he adjusted to the silken grip of her lithe form.

Daisy held still until his grip eased, scattering kisses over his cheeks and down his throat to distract herself from how good he felt and how much she needed to just  _ move. _ It felt like forever to her, but eventually he loosened his hold enough for her to begin gently rocking her hips.

“ _ Fuck _ ,” he moaned. “Daisy…” 

“I’m right here,” she whispered in his ear. “You feel me. I feel you. You feel so good.” She shifted her legs slightly and they both froze as their soulmarks came into contact. Their bond forged itself, her presence suddenly blooming in his mind and his in hers. “Oh, God,” she whimpered, trembling at the intensity of the feeling.

“I got you,” he said, his arm shifting to cradle her body against his. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and they clung to each other as the sudden surge of emotion calmed. Her hips started to rock again at the same moment as his lips began trailing kisses down her neck. “Yes…” he hissed against her skin. “Fuck, yes, Daisy.”

“You like that?” she purred.

“God, yes,” he agreed, knowing it was pointless to deny when she could feel his reactions as strongly as he could hers. He felt her channel pulsing around his cock and knew that they were both close; their bond having driven them onwards, despite the respite to adjust. “I feel you. I feel how much you want me,” he went on, his voice in her ear heavy and dark with lust. She moaned again, his tone sending little shockwaves through her.

He shifted his arm around her again and started thrusting his hips up to meet her downward strokes. She gasped his name, back arching in his grasp. “Oh, you like this?” His eyes glimmered with amusement as he realized her reaction to his voice. “You like hearing me talk to you? My voice in your ear.”

“God, yes!” It was her turn to agree, helpless to deny the truth when he already knew it. “Love dirty talk. Makes me so hot.”

“If I keep talking, will you come for me?” he asked her, his voice laced with passion. “Wanna see you come, doll. Wanna see how gorgeous you look, lost in ecstasy.”

“Yesss…” she hissed, riding him harder, faster. “More, please, more.”

“Touch yourself for me, Daisy,” he murmured. “You feel so good, so hot and wet. I want you to come first, though. Come for me, sweet girl.” 

She obeyed his request, one hand sliding between them to rub light circles around her clit. She gasped and moaned, his voice combining with the physical to push her closer to the edge. With a sharp cry her back arched and she convulsed in his grasp.

Bucky groaned, trying to keep moving through her orgasm but the sensation was too much. He could feel her pleasure through the bond, feel the vice grip of her body pulsing around him, and he couldn’t hold out. He thrust up into her once more and came.

They held together for a moment, frozen in pleasure, before the wave ebbed. Daisy slumped against him and Bucky let them tip sideways, cushioned by the soft mattress.

“That was… that was…” she gasped after a moment.

“Un-fucking-believable,” he finished for her, feeling her agreement. “For me, too.”

“Good,” she purred after a few more minutes to catch her breath. “Because I’m really not quite done with you. And I hear you super-soldiers have awesome recovery time…” Her expression was pure filth, and Bucky just laughed.

“Guess we’ll find out, won’t we, doll?”

\-----

They spent most of the next day in bed.

\-----

The following evening found them, as scheduled, back in the medical center. “I’m sorry, sweetheart,” Bucky said softly to Daisy as the technicians began prepping him for cryo. “I wish it didn’t have to be this way.”

“It’s alright,” she assured him gently. “I understand.”

“I won’t be a risk to you,” he reiterated. “And I trust you and Steve to know when they’ve found a solution that should work.”

She gave him a soft smile and brushed a strand of hair out of his eyes as he settled into the cryo machine. “I know you do. Have faith, love. I’ll see you again.”

As Daisy stepped back, Bucky’s eyes stayed on her. The clear plastic cover closed and she blew him a kiss. His smile in return only faded a little as his eyes closed and he fell asleep inside the chamber.

The sudden, sharp ache as the bond dimmed into near-nothingness was something she hadn’t considered. Daisy stumbled out of the medical area, half-blinded by tears. She hadn’t expected it to be this hard. They’d barely had 24 hours with the soulbond; surely she shouldn’t miss it so much after so little time?

“Shh, darlin’,” Clint’s gentle voice soothed her as strong arms wrapped around her and held her steady. “I’ve got you.”

She leaned into his arms and let the tears fall. “I didn’t… it’s just…”

Clint didn’t try to stop her tears, just held her through the first wave. When she calmed enough, he started guiding her out of the medical center. But not back to her guest room at the palace; he steered her down the street to his house instead.

“I… what..?” Daisy said, confused.

“You didn’t really think we were going to let you deal with this alone, did you?” Laura admonished gently as she and Clint steered the grieving young woman to the center seat on the couch.

Daisy stared at them in shock as they curled around her protectively. Then the tears started again and she shook her head. “You don’t even know me, really.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Laura said, holding Daisy tighter as Clint put a box of tissues on her lap. “Your soulmate made a very difficult choice and now you have to live with the results. He might not be here to support you right now, but that doesn’t mean you have to be alone.”

“Is there someone we should call for you, Daisy?” Clint asked gently. “Someone who can come pick you up, maybe?”

“Just my team. They’re all the family I have. My partner, Mack, said to call if I needed him to come get me, but with the time difference they wouldn’t be here before midnight local time, at the very earliest.”

“Then you can stay here until they can come get you,” Clint told her. “We’ll go get your things tomorrow morning, maybe invite T’Challa to come have dinner with us.” He slanted a glance at Laura, and she nodded back readily.

“I don’t think you’re really ready to go back to work yet anyway,” Laura added soothingly. “You need a chance to work through all the changes in your life in the past few days.”

“I’m not sure I know how,” Daisy admitted quietly. “I didn’t think it would be this bad. We’ve had barely a day since we bonded, but I feel so… so empty inside. Like part of me was missing, but I didn’t know it until I had it for a little while.”

“And that’s exactly why you’re staying with us,” Laura insisted. “We can’t replace that part of you, but we can be here to support you while you learn to handle its absence again.”

“I don’t know if I can do this again,” she whispered, almost more to herself than to anyone else. Clint and Laura traded a glance over her head, both of them worried. There seemed to be more going on than they knew about.

Daisy cried herself to sleep after a short while. It wasn’t late, the kids weren’t even in bed yet, but they tucked her into their guest room anyway. They’d just keep an ear out for her, much as they did when Nathaniel fell asleep.

While Clint called T’Challa to let him know Daisy was safe with them, Laura stared at Daisy’s phone. She finally picked it up, but wasn’t overly surprised to find it locked. Instead she picked up her own and called Natasha.

“Hey, Laura, what’s up?” Nat’s voice came over the phone.

“Sorry to bother you, but I need a favor. Would you know how to get me in touch with an agent named Mack who works with Daisy Johnson?”

She could almost hear Nat frown on the other end of the phone. “Yeah, I can do that. Something wrong?”

“Nothing world-shaking,” Laura answered with a tiny smile. “Just that Daisy mentioned calling him, and I think maybe we could use his help here.”

“What’s going on?”

“Do you know why Daisy came here?”

“Barnes, yeah.”

Laura sighed. “Just between you and me, hon, they are soulmates. But Bucky decided to go back into cryo anyway. She basically cried herself to sleep, but I think it’s about more than just the soulbond.”

“Well, shit,” Natasha swore. “I’ll send a message, see if I can get Mack and Elena on their way shortly.”

“Elena?”

“Mack’s girlfriend and one of Daisy’s team. They’ll be in late; takes 5 or 6 hours to get there even by quinjet.”

“It’s alright. Wouldn’t be my first late night with traumatized agents,” Laura answered lightly. “Give them my number; we’ll meet them when they get in.”

“Will do. Be careful with her, Laura. She’s been through a lot.”

“I’ll do my best, Nat. You know that.”

“I know.”

\-----

It was almost midnight when Laura’s phone rang again. Daisy had been right about the timing, earlier. She was still asleep, but Clint and Laura had stayed up talking.

Clint turned on the lights in their yard; landing jets beside their garden had never been the plan, but there was space and it did work. Nat preferred to land there or directly at the palace, so it wasn’t particularly surprising that she’d directed Daisy’s teammates to the house.

“Thank you for coming,” Laura said as she invited the two agents inside. Mack surprised her a little bit; he was physically very imposing, but he had that gentle giant vibe going. Elena looked like she had harder edges, at least until she smiled. 

“Romanoff said it was important,” Mack replied with a shrug. “Is Daisy here?”

“Yes,” Clint said simply. “She’s asleep, but you’re welcome to check in on her if you like.”

“What happened?” Elena asked in her heavily accented voice; her grasp of English had continued to improve, but her phrasing was still a little off sometimes. “Daisy is well?”

They moved to sit at the kitchen table and Laura folded her hands with a sigh. “I don’t know. I can’t even imagine what she’s going through, but it’s definitely not good.”

“The short version is that Barnes is her soulmate… and he decided to go back into cryo anyway, because he didn’t want to be a risk to her or her team because of the HYDRA programming,” Clint said.

“Damn,” Mack said, sitting back with a sigh. He looked at Elena, who shook her head sadly. “I take it you called us to take her home?”

“No,” Laura replied firmly. “She’s welcome to stay here for as long as she needs. I called you because I think there’s something seriously wrong, more than just this thing with Bucky. If she’s as close to you as she implied, I thought perhaps you’d know and be able to help us help her through it.”

“I do not think she would be pleased with us if we told you things she has not shared,” Elena began thoughtfully.

“But you’re probably right that there’s more going on here than just her soulmate,” Mack agreed with a sigh. “As if that weren’t enough.”

“Can you give us something, at least?” Laura asked, more worried than ever but trying not to push too hard.

“Daisy has a history of losing people she cares about. In some ways, she’s still grieving for them, particularly one that she blames herself for,” Mack explained after a moment.

Elena rested her hand on Mack’s arm, shaking her head as he went to continue speaking. “We will help if we can,” she said gently. “But Daisy’s past should be her choice to share or not.”

“We understand,” Clint said. “You don’t know us, and it’s clear that this is all very personal. Maybe we should wake her, see if she’ll talk to us?”

“Honestly, she doesn’t sleep so well most of the time. If she’s out now, I’d rather let her sleep.” Mack’s tone was concerned. “But it’s only mid-afternoon for us. Maybe I can sit with her for a while? So she’s not alone if she wakes.”

“Of course. We have plenty of rooms, here. I’ll show you the guest rooms and you can sort out the details for yourselves,” Laura offered. “We probably need to get some sleep, though. The kids are usually up early.”

\----

After they sorted out which rooms they’d each stay in, Mack did creep quietly into Daisy’s room. He sat on the edge of her bed, taking in the dried tear tracks on her cheeks and her puffy eyes with a soft sigh. He should have known that she would sense another presence in the room, though, as she began to stir.

Dark eyes blinked open, seeking the presence despite the darkness of the room. “I’m sorry, Tremors,” Mack said in a low voice. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“Mack?” she asked, her tone raspy from both sleep and tears.

“Yeah, I’m here.”

“But I didn’t call…”

“No, your friends did. Thought you could use a few more friendly faces. You alright?”

She shook her head and looked away. “It hurts. But it’s supposed to, I think.”

With gentle hands, he tugged her upright and into his arms. She didn’t fight him anymore; she’d gotten used to it in the aftermath of Hive. “Oh, Tremors,” Mack murmured, just holding her close. “What are we going to do with you?”

She just shrugged, though her fingers twisted into his shirt as she sat with him. “It’s like before, but different,” she murmured. She caught the faint sound of the bedroom door opening, felt the soft hum of another presence, but she was beyond caring as her tears began to fall again. “The hole inside, the emptiness. Just like with  _ him _ … for one beautiful day, I found something that softened the pain, blurred the edges that  _ he  _ left inside me. I can’t do this, Mack. I can’t.”

“Shhh,” he soothed her, beginning to rock lightly. “You don’t have to do it alone. We’re here for you.”

Laura let herself into the room, closing the door behind herself. Her maternal instincts were running pretty high where Daisy was concerned, and she’d heard the soft voices as soon as they began to talk. She sat on the bed beside them, her fingers brushing through Daisy’s hair. “You’re not alone. We’re here.”

Daisy shook her head. The words came spilling out as she sobbed, and no amount of soothing could calm her. “You don’t get it. You can’t. You never had Hive in your head, messing you all up inside so that you hated it but you loved it. And when it was just gone, it left a hole inside like a piece of you had been torn away. A piece you couldn’t get back, even if you begged and pleaded. And then that hole was soothed, the sharp edges dulled by the soft feeling of a soulbond… but now that’s gone too. He made the choice, like Lincoln did, to protect me instead of listening to what I  _ needed _ . They leave me, they all  _ leave me _ … and maybe they should. Maybe I’m too full of holes inside. I’ll just get them killed, too…”

Despite the tight hugs, the soothing murmurs, she couldn’t stop the sobs that wracked her body. Couldn’t stop the shaking that had nothing to do with her powers. She barely felt the presence of a third person enter the room, Elena responding to Mack’s distress over their soulbond. Daisy did hear Elena crooning to her in Spanish, though she was out of it enough that she wouldn’t have understood the words even if they’d been in English.

“How can you even stand to be near me?” Daisy demanded hysterically. “I hurt you so much, hurt everyone… Phil, May, Fitz… and Lincoln, God, I let Lincoln die for me...”

“You know it’s not like that, Daisy,” Elena objected.

“She’s hurting too much to listen right now, love,” Mack murmured to Elena, and she nodded.

“How could her soulmate leave her like this?” Elena demanded.

“I think… maybe he didn’t know,” Laura suggested softly, most of her attention on monitoring Daisy’s breathing.

Elena scoffed. “How could he not know? Soulbonds let you see your partner’s soul, the depths of their heart!”

“But not in a day,” Mack reminded her, and Elena fell silent. “She said they’d only been bonded a day…”

“I do not understand.”

“He thought he would be a threat to her and your team,” Laura reminded the other woman.

“Would be less painful for her than  _ this, _ ” Elena grumbled.

Eventually Daisy cried herself back to sleep. Even then, none of her friends thought anything was over. If anything, it was just the beginning.

\-----

When Daisy woke in the morning, she almost wished she hadn’t. Her eyes felt gritty and sore, her head ached terribly, and there was a heavy stillness inside her that she wished would go away. But it wouldn’t.

She wasn’t alone, though. She could sense the soft hum of another person nearby, so she cracked her eyes open.

“Mornin’, darlin’,” Clint said with a small smile.

“Morning,” she echoed dully.

“You look awful,” Clint observed, his gaze taking in her pale skin and shadowed eyes. Daisy made a face but didn’t argue. “Feel up to some breakfast?”

Daisy shrugged. “I guess.”

Clint sighed and stood, taking Daisy’s hand and pulling her upright. “I know it’s hard, hon. But your soulmate isn’t dead, just sleeping. Have to take care of yourself so you can be here when he wakes, yeah?”

She shrugged again but let him tug her out of bed. She was tired and empty and aching, and that made it hard to think up an argument. So she just followed his instructions, taking a quick shower and getting dressed before padding barefoot down to the kitchen.

Elena and Mack were in the kitchen with Laura when Daisy finally arrived. No one else commented on her physical appearance, though. “Good morning, honey,” Laura greeted in her warm voice. “Mack said you like your eggs fried, so they’re almost ready. Pancakes and sausage on the table. Help yourself.”

“Coffee?” Daisy asked hopefully. Mack just picked up a mug from the table and handed it over, prepared the way Daisy always took her coffee. She sipped slowly, a little color returning to her cheeks. 

“That looks better,” Elena said after Daisy looked more alert and the first cup of coffee was gone. “Good morning, Daisy.”

“Morning, ‘Lena,” Daisy murmured as Laura set a plate with two fried eggs in front of her. She helped herself to pancakes and sausage, though Mack noted that what she took was less than half of what she usually ate. Her appetite had increased to keep up with the demands of her powers. But as long as she was eating, he wasn’t about to complain.

Except that Daisy didn’t eat, just pushed the food around the plate with her fork. Laura had often seen Nat doing something similar, when something was eating her up inside. The expression of being lost in her own pain was not unique to Daisy. Laura set a large glass of water in front of Daisy’s plate; if she wasn’t going to eat, Laura was at least going to be sure that she didn’t get dehydrated too.

“Look, everyone… I’m… I’m sorry you had to deal with me last night,” Daisy said without looking up. “It all got to me, and I made everything worse. So, I’m sorry.”

“You’re struggling, Tremors,” Mack said gently. “There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s human.”

“Being without your soulmate is very hard,” Elena added in a soothing tone. “Worse when you don’t know when you will see him again. You should go see him, make him understand.”

Daisy shook her head. “I can’t. They can’t bring him out of cryo so soon. And he’ll just say the same thing, that it’s not safe for me.”

“Maybe that shouldn’t only be his decision to make,” Laura commented. “I know you promised to accept his decision, Daisy, but if he knew how much it was hurting you…”

“No, I don’t want him to know,” Daisy denied. 

“I’m sure he would rather have a soulmate to wake up to than not,” Elena grumbled in reply. “He should know this, know you need him.” 

“I can’t put that on him, too, ‘Lena!” Daisy’s eyes went wide in protest. “He has all the years with HYDRA to feel guilty about; he shouldn’t have to worry about me too!”

“Soulmates take care of each other, Tremors,” Mack added, his hand reaching out to cover hers. “You should know that by now.”

“You said that you and your team take care of each other,” Laura commented lowly. “Shouldn’t that apply even more to your soulmate?”

Daisy just shook her head, curling into herself on her chair. “I should be strong enough. I should be able to handle it.”

“No one is strong enough for everything alone,” Elena said gently. “That is why we have God. So we can pray for help, for strength.”

“I haven’t prayed since I left St. Agnes,” Daisy responded softly.

“Then maybe we start again now, together?” Elena offered.

Daisy’s smile was sad, so very sad. “I don’t know if I can… I don’t know if I have enough faith.”

“Then I pray for you, until you can,” Elena promised.

“Drink your water, Daisy,” Laura urged gently as the silence stretched out. “Then maybe go watch a movie. Something to help take your mind off of things.”

“Yeah. Okay,” Daisy agreed, picking up the glass with an obvious effort. Once she’d finished half of it, Mack and Elena urged her to the living room. Most of the movie selections were kids films, but Elena decided that anything with a happy ending and a positive message was good for Daisy right at that moment. So she popped one in and hit play.

A look passed between Elena and Mack as they silently agreed to bracket Daisy between them, surrounding her as best they could with people who cared. Mack tugged Daisy onto the couch and Elena tucked herself in on Daisy’s other side. Mack’s long arm stretched across Daisy’s shoulders and onto Elena’s, and they all settled in comfortably.

Daisy was asleep half an hour into the movie, using Mack as a pillow.

While Daisy slept, Elena brought Mack a book to read so he wouldn’t have to disturb her for a while. Then she went upstairs to their guest room to call HQ. She requested that the three of them be put on stand-down; Daisy needed help, and if they let her go back to work she would just throw herself into helping other people and never actually get better herself.

It was clear to her that since it had taken this turn of events to reveal that Daisy was still suffering from the aftermath of Hive’s control and Lincoln’s death, going back to SHIELD immediately would not be in her friend’s best interests.

And if SHIELD wouldn’t see reason, Elena didn’t particularly care. But Daisy was important to many people there, and her request was granted after she explained to Coulson and May directly what was happening.

In the end, Mack and Elena stayed in Wakanda for over a month, and Daisy for closer to three. But the time was well spent; Daisy was eventually convinced to start seeing a psychologist and T’Challa found them one they could trust. Laura mothered her incessantly, and the kids started calling her “Auntie Daisy” after a few weeks. It wasn’t until much later that she realized the excessive mother-henning was because her friends had strict instructions to watch her very closely through the initial phases of therapy.

Daisy was on the road to recovery when Mack and Elena were recalled. She gave them both tight hugs before they left. “Thank you, guys. For… for everything,” she told them.

“Hey, that’s what partners are for,” Mack replied with a bright smile.

“I’m really sorry you got dragged into this.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Elena hushed her. “But if it makes you feel better, we forgive you.”

Daisy smiled; her eyes still showed signs of stress, but her expressions were becoming more genuine over time. “I know. Thanks.”

After eight weeks of intensive therapy for her depression and trauma issues, Daisy’s therapist signed off on her release back to work. “You’ve come far enough now that time and the proper support will do the rest,” he told her. “But if you have any further problems, please don’t hesitate to call.”

Daisy pondered for a moment. “May… may I have several copies of your card? I think… it might be better to ask my team, my partner, to call if they see something wrong. I’m… not good at putting myself first when something goes wrong.”

The doctor nodded. “I think that’s wise,” he agreed, handing over a small stack of cards. “Provided they know you well enough to tell the difference between stress and trauma.”

“Some of them do, yeah.”

“Good. You are not actually planning to leave just yet, are you?” he inquired.

She shook her head. “No. I’m staying a few more weeks to be sure I have my feet under me. My work can be pretty intense, as I’m sure you’ve figured out by now.”

“Indeed I have. Be well, Daisy, and please do have your friends call if there is trouble.”

She smiled a bit. “Be careful, Doc, or you might wind up with a parade of overwrought agents in your office.”

“It would be my pleasure to help if I can,” he answered simply.

The last couple of weeks of her visit were much more relaxed than the first few. Laura eased off her mothering tendencies for the most part. Clint started treating her more like a kid sister than another child in his house, and they actually got to go out and do fun things. Picnics, movies, visits to the zoo and museums, even friendly sparring matches between Clint and Daisy.

“Wow, I’m out of shape badly,” Daisy said after their first match. “May’s gonna kick my ass when I get back.”

“You’ve been on medical leave, Daisy,” Clint answered with a small smile. “No one’s going to expect you to be able to jump right back in.”

“I suppose you’re right. Still, may as well start now, so it won’t be so painful later.”

So Daisy started getting up early again, starting her morning with coffee and Tai Chi. The meditation helped her state of mind, too, now that therapy had her able to focus properly again. Her heart still ached, missing her soulmate and their bond as well as the others she’d lost over the years. But it was a bearable ache, not a ragged hole in her chest.

Finally, it was time for her to leave, too. Her team was on a mission, so she resigned herself to a commercial airline. Laura and Clint took her to the airport, leaving Cooper to watch his siblings for the short trip; Nathaniel was napping anyway, so they should be fine for a brief period.

“You take care of yourself, alright darlin’?” Clint said, hugging Daisy tightly as her flight was called.

“I will. Thank you again for… well, for everything, really,” she answered softly. “I’m sorry I was so much trouble.”

“Family is never too much trouble,” Laura admonished her. “And you’re part of ours, now,” she added, taking her turn for a long hug. “You’d better come back for Christmas, or you’ll never hear the end of it… from us or the kids!”

Daisy smiled. “I’ll do my best. But… it’s nice to have somewhere to go.”

“I know,” Clint agreed. The notice for final boarding was called, and Daisy picked up her carry-on with a sigh. “Go, darlin’, but we’ll see you soon.”

Daisy waved over her shoulder as she headed towards the gate. She didn’t look back; she couldn’t, or she’d never leave. And she had a team to get back to.

\-----

Bucky was confused, and cold.

Of course, this was a state he had long since grown accustomed to; no matter who brought him out of cryo or where they were, those two things were always the first to register.

The third thing to register was the room; he recognized the medical center in Wakanda, so at least that was reassuring. The doctors were all unfamiliar, but that wasn’t terribly unusual for him either.

It took him a moment to realize what was bothering him, though. There was  _ no one _ in the room he recognized. When Daisy had woken him, King T’Challa had been in the background. When they’d put him under the first time, Steve had been there and promised to be there when he woke. The doctors were doing something different, too. He wasn’t sure what, but they had some kind of device on his forehead and he wasn’t sure what was happening. 

Before he could rip the device away in a panic, he felt a wave of calm reach him. He didn’t think it was coming from himself, but it felt familiar. So he focused on it for a moment, trying hard to listen.

Daisy.

He wasn’t sure how she managed it, but he sensed that she was nearby. A moment later, he heard her voice. 

“I don’t give a damn whether or not you think it’s safe,” Daisy yelled at someone. “My soulmate is right on the edge of panic, because there’s no on there he recognizes. If you want this thing to work, you don’t want him to start by tearing off the prototype!”

His eyes were drawn to the door in time to see her push her way into the room, past a still-protesting doctor. When her eyes met his, her expression softened into a smile and she hurried to his side. Steve’s tall figure hovered in the doorway for a moment, though he stepped back out again once assured that everything was okay.

“Daisy? What’s goin’ on, doll?”

She took his hand, twining their fingers together, and he felt an edge of stress in her mind fade away to nothing at the contact. Her voice was low as she answered him. “We think we found a way to undo the programming. That’s the device on your temple,” she explained. “The doctors thought there might still be a chance that we’d hit a trigger we didn’t know about, and they didn’t want to let anyone in here just in case.” She sighed. “I’m sorry. I told them it was unnecessary, and that you’d have a harder time without someone here with you…”

“It’s alright. You’re here now.” Bucky studied her carefully. She didn’t look older, really, though there were fine lines of stress forming around her eyes. But whether that meant not much time had passed or that she had good genetics when it came to aging, he didn’t know. Similarly, Steve didn’t look any older… but, then, he may not even if ten years had passed.

Bucky got lost in her deep brown eyes for long moments, sensing her happiness at their reunion and knowing she could sense his as well. They held hands, spellbound, long enough for the doctors to finish whatever they were doing to deprogram him.

“That’s it?” he asked when one came over to remove the device.

“We think so, yes,” she answered. “Though we’ll want to run some scans to be sure. It can wait, though. You should probably have something to eat; it’s been a long time since your last meal.”

“How long..?” he asked Daisy, much as he had the first time. She just shook her head, smiling softly.

“We’ll tell you later. For now, just know that I missed you.”

“I’m sorry, Daisy,” he murmured in a low voice. “I know it hurt you, me being in here.”

“Another topic for later,” she demurred. “For now, there’s only one thing I need.” Before he could ask what, she leaned in and kissed him deeply.

She was right. 

Questions could wait.

\-----


End file.
